Sign plate and method of making same



' A. U. MAGNAN SIGN PLATE AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME March i, 1939.

Filed May l, 1937 OOOOOO OOO OOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO l ooooooooooooo oooooo ooooooooooooo ooooooooo ooooo OOOOOOOGOOOOOOOO ./NvE/voR y ARTHUR u. MA @NA/v ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 7, 193@ PATENT OFFQ SIGN PLATE AND lVIETI-IOD 0F MAKING SAME Arthur U. Magnan, Los Angeles, Calif.

ApplicationrMay 1, 1937, Serial N0. 140,221

13 Claims.

This invention relates to perforated and jeweled sign plates in which the perforations and jewels are so arranged as to formV a design o-f some object, letter, insignia or what not. Usually, and as herein disclosed, the front of the plate has the design printed, drawn or otherwisey impressedV on it and the perforations are so positioned as to bring out the salient features of the design. The jewels may be of various size and shapes. They are made of transparent or translucent material so as to transmit'light. As herein disclosed, they arespherical beads. Usually they are of dierent sizes and different colors, and their outer dimensions are slightly greater than the diameters of the perforations which are to receive them. Vhen the jewels, which will hereinafter be referred to as beads, are pressed into their respective perforations, the material of the plate surrounding the perforations is compressed outwardly. The beads are moved to a central position within the plate, which has a thickness somewhat less than the diameters of the smallest beads employed, so that each bead will project equal distances on both sides of the plate. These plates are generally used as the front o-r face plate of a sign` cabinet within which is a source of light. The rays from this light source pass outwardly through the beads and the observer in front of the sign sees the outline and the salient features of the design in small spots of light, the sizes and colors of which depend upon the sizes and colors of the beads through which the light rays have passed. In simple designs, two varieties of beads may suce while in some complex designs many varieties are necessary or desirable. The accompanying drawing shows a very simple design in which but two varieties are used. Generally, a perforated, opaque plate is vibrated or otherwise moved parallel with the sign plate and between it and the light source in order to cause the light rays to fall upon the beads from different and ever changing angles, thus producing a scintillating eifect. These plates are known as animators. No cabinet, light source or animator is shown in the drawing, since the invention has to do only with the jeweled or beaded sign plate and with the method of producing the same. It is the object of my invention to produce such plates in the cheapest, simplest and most eicient manner.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 shows, in side elevation, a face plate having a simple design thereon formed by perforating and beading; Fig. 2 is a section taken through the finished plate and through one of the beads, showing how the bead (Cl. lLiL-133) is embedded in the plate; Fig. 3 is a sectional View through the sign plate and its backing plate with the beads in position for pressing into the perforations in the sign plate, said Fig. 3 illustrating one step in the method of producing the plate; Fig. 4 illustrates, in section, parts of two of the embedding implements or tools for pushing the beads into their respective perforations; Fig. 5 is a View similar to Fig. 3 but on a somewhat enlarged scale, the bead having been embedded; Fig. 6 is a face View of one of the templet plates which may be used to assist in positioning the beads of one size or variety over their respective perforations, as in Fig. 3; Fig. 'l is a similar view of another templet plate for beads of another size or variety; Fig. 8 is a sectional View through the sign plate, the backing plate and the templet plate of Fig. 6, showing a beadin position for embedment and the embedding tool, and Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 8 but taken through a smaller perforation of the sign plate and showing the templet plate of Fig. '7 and the smaller-sized embedding tool.

The sign plate, which is designated ll) throughout the several views, is a flat plate of any desired contour and of any suitable ductile or impressionable material. By that is meant a material which is compressible about the walls of the perforations and yieldable as the beads are pressed into position so that the beads` become embedded in the plate. In Fig. 2, a bead H is shown so embedded, with its perimeter extending substantially equal distances beyond both sides of the plate. The material of the plate which has undergone compression recovers to some degree its former state, closing in somewhat behind the largest part of the bead. This will sufce to hold the bead; but to hold it more securely, I prefer Vto coat the back of the plate, from which side the bead has been pushed, with a layer l2 of some suitable adhesive substance, such as a transparent lacquer, the coating covering both the side of the plate and the Abeads therein. The design shown in Fig. 1 is a glass or goblet which is outlined in relatively large beads ll of a chosen color, say blue. Within the goblet is a liquid which is represented by a field of beads lliL which are smaller in size and are of a different color, such as amber. This showing is for illustration purposes only, it being understood that any other `design may be employed. 'I'he material of the plate may be and preferably is card-board with a thickness slightly less than the diameter of the smallest `beads employed.

The front face of the plate is rst given a decol.

rative coating. This way be of printersinks, paints, oils, or any other appropriate material and colors. This coating usually and preferably covers the entire face and may'consist of the material or materials used in picturing the thing shown in the design with its surrounding background; or the picture may be made upon the coating. In any event, the` coating covers the face of the plate but does not extend over the beads. In fact, the perforations are` not made in the plate until after the decorative coating has hardened or dried. Then they are punched through the coating as well as through the plate itself. This is an important consideration when it comes to embedding the beads for theY reason that the coating extends to the Very margin of each perforation and any substantial distortion of the front of the plate in setting the beads cracks the coating about the beads. When the beads are close together, as are the beads lla in Fig. 1, such breakage of the hard and dry coating would destroy the latter and render the entire plate unsuitable for use. Care must be taken, therefore, to prevent such cracking or breaking of the decorative coating. In Fig. l, I have not attempted to show this coating; but it is to be understood that it usually covers the entire front of the plate. In Figs. 2, 3, 5, 8 and 9 it is indicated by the heavy line I3 on the lower edge of plate I0.

After the plate IE] has been perforated, another plate Il is punched in exactly the same way, with the same punches and with the same arrangement of perforations. In fact, plate IIB may be another plate IQ, although there is no reason why it should have a decorative coating. However, the presence of such a coating on it would be no detriment. The two plates are then superimposed, as shown in Fig. 3, with the plate I on top and all its perforations in register with those in the lower plate. This lower plate will be referred to hereinafter as the backing plate. For convenience of reference, the largest perforation in plate l Il is designated I Ila and the smallest perforation is designated I Sb. The corresponding perforations in the backing plate are designated Illa and Mib, respectively. Any suitable means may be employed, if deemed necessary, to hold the plates against relative movement.

After superimposing the plates, as in Fig. 3, the beads are placed on the surface of the face plate II), that surface being the rear side of the plate, the larger beads II being placed over the perforations II)a and the smaller beads IIa over the smaller perforations IIlb. Since but two sizes of beads are used in making up the design of Fig. l, the two beads at the middle part of Fig. 3 and their corresponding perforations may be ignored. In making up the plate, the largest sized beads are first positioned and embedded; then the next sized beads are positioned over and are embedded within their corresponding perforations, and so on until the smallest sized beads are so positioned and embedded. That is to say, but one size of beads is dealt with at a time. If some of the beads of one size are of one color and the other beads of that size are of a different color, all the beads of one color are first positioned and embedded.

In Fig. 3, the left-hand bead II is one of the largest used in the particular sign plate illustrated. There may be, and generally are, many beads of that size and color, but the one bead shown is suiiicient for illustration. Having positioned the bead over its perforation Illa, the

` ruin the plate.

workman pushes it downwardly into the position shown in Fig. 5, where it is embedded in the sign plate with its upper and lower parts projecting substantially equal distances beyond the sides of the plate. To push the bead, he employs the specially-constructed tool or implement which is shown in section, in Fig. 4 at I5. It is a bar, preferably of metal, with a cylindrical end Within which is a cup-like depression I6 of the exact shape and size of a segment of the bead i I. 'I'he tool fits over the bead and covers that part of it which is to project beyond the adjacent side of the plate I. The depression does not extend quite to the cylindrical wall of the tool so that a narrow, annular surface Il' is provided to engage with the plate and form a stop for the tool. As shown in Fig. 5, the bead I I has been pushed into its perforation until the tool I has contacted with the plate l@ about the bead. The bead has come to rest with the segment within the depression substantially equal to the segment which has entered the perforation Illet of the backing plate. By making the perforations Ita and Ida of equal radii and by forming the depression on the same radius as that of the bead, with a depth equal to that of the projecting part of the bead, the latter is substantially centered in the plate, as shown. 'Ihe margin of the perforation Illa in the backing plate just contacts the bead and prevents the decorative coating I 3 from cracking. vIf the backing plate I4 were made of metal or some other unyielding material, it would serve its purpose very effectively. But it is satisfactory to make it of a material which can be perforated with the same punch that is used in perforating the plate It, although it is preferable that it be as dense or unyielding as practicable in order that it may not become distorted about the perforations and thus possibly fail to prevent cracking of the said coating.

Having set all the beads I! as in Fig. 5, the worker then performs the same operations to set the next sized beads, coming finally to the beads IIEL of the smallest size. In embedding these beads, the tool I 5a of Fig. 4 is employed, the same having a depression la which is formed on a radius which is substantially that of the bead I la. After all the beads have thus been set, the coating I2 may be applied.

From the above it will be seen that there is a definite relation between the diameters of the perforations in the plate II] and the corresponding perforations in the backing plate; between the radii of the beads and the depressions in the embedding tools l5 and I 5a; between the width of the depression and the diameter of the perforation I la of the backing plate and between the depth of the depression and the maximum thickness of the segment of the bead which enters the perforation Ilia, so that a. hurried and even care-- less worker is enabled to embed the beads centrally within the sign plate.

The more complex designs usually require several sizes of beads. The beads of one size may differ so little from thosev of the next size as to make it easy for the worker to mistake one for the other. The variations in sizes of the perforations in the sign-plate may be measured in fractions of a millimeter and the worker is liable to position a bead over the wrong perforation. If the bead be set or embedded in this position, it causes delay and trouble and may damage or The correct positioning of the beads over their respective perforations is, therefore, a tedious and a very careful step of the VIl which are to be embedded in them, the perforations Iiiab are larger than these beads so that the latter may readily drop into them and the end of the embedding tool I5 may enter them. When the backing plate, the sign plate and the templet plate are assembled, as in Fig. 8, a quantity of beads Il is placed on top of the templet land the beads are moved about until each of the perforations has received a bead. It is to be understood that the templet I8 has no perforation to register with the perforations l 0b or with any perforation or perforations in the sign plate except lila. Therefore, by Va simple brushing of the beads H over the templet, every perforation ma will receive its bead. The surplus beads on the templet may be brushed away and returned to the mass supply of those beads. The positioned beads Il arenow set or embedded by the use of the tool l5, as has been described. The templet i8, having now served its purpose, is removed for use in making other plates, and the templet IS of Fig. '7 is superimposed over the plate I0. This templet has perforations punched in it in positions to register with the perforations ib when the templet is positioned, as in Fig. 9. The beads lla having been spread Over the templet until every perforation l)a has received one, the surplus beads are swept away and the positioned beads are set or embedded by the use of the tool 15a, as has been described. It

'is to be understood that there will be a templet for, and specially punched to position, every variety of beads used in making up the sign.

I-Iaving thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A sign member comprising a plate of cardboard, a decorative coating coveringthe front face of said plate, said plate and coating being provided with a plurality of perforations of different sizes and arranged to form a design, a spherical light-transmitting bead for and within each of said perforations, said beads being larger than their respective perforations so as to be embedded in the walls thereof when the beads are in position therein, each of said beads pro-- jecting for substantially equal distances on both sides of the plate, and a coating of light-transmitting material covering the rear face of said plate and the' parts of the beads which project eyond said rear face.

2'. The method of making a sign member which comprises providing an opaque plate of ductile material with a series of circular perforations, applying spherical light-transmitting elements to said plate at the perforations therein, each of said elements having a diameter which is larger than the diameter of its respective perforation, forcing the elements into the said perforations a distance suiiicient to bring their diameters which are perpendicular to the axes of the perforations below the surface of the plate on the entering side whereby the material of the plate surrounding the perforations compresses and then expands at the rear of the largest diameters of the elements and the elements are embedded in the plate, and applying a coating of light-trans- ,applying a light-transmitting element to one side mitting adhesive material about the perforations on that side of the plate from which the elements have been forced, said coating covering the elements on that side of the plate.

3. The method as set forth in claim 2 in which the elements are forced into the perforations by tools, each of said tools having a cup-like depression which ts over the element and covers that portion only which is to project beyond the surface of the plate, the end of the tool which surrounds the depression forming a stop for engagement with the plate as the element is pushed into the plate.

4. The method of making a sign member which comprises procuring a fiat plate of lductile material, applying a decorative coating to one side of the plate, said coating having impressed thereon a design which relates to the subject which is 1 to be displayed by said member, permitting said coating to dry and harden, then providing the 20 said plate and coating with a plurality of perforations which are so arranged as to bring out the salient feature or features of the design on the coating, procuring a second flat plate and providing it with perforations which are identical in number and arrangement with the perforations in the first-mentioned plate and which are of substantially the same sizes as the corresponding perforations in said rs-t plate, placing the said rst plate over the second plate with the perforations in the plates in register and with the said decorative coating in contact with the second plate, applying light-transmitting elements to the upper side of the first plate at the perforations therein, each of said elements being slightly larger than its respective perforation, and then forcing the elements into their perforations until they contact with the second plate at and about the upper rims of the perforations therein with the lower sides of the elements p-rojecting into the latter perforations and extending beyond the decorative coating on the first plate, the thickness .of the latter plate and the sizes of the elements being such that, when the elements contact with the second plate, they project substantially equal amounts on both sides of the first plate.

5. The method as set forth in claim 4 in which the perforations in the plates are circular in cross section and the elements are spherical beads.

6. The method as se't forth in claim 4 to which is added, as a final step, applying a coating of light-transmitting adhesive material to that side of the first plate which is opposite the decorative coating, said light-transmitting kcoating covering the elements which project beyond-the said side.

7. The method of making a sign member which comprises procuring a fiat plate of ductile material, providing said plate with a perforation,

of said plate at the perforation therein, said element being slightly larger than the said perforation, procuring a tool having therein a depression into which the upper surface of the element fits, applying said tool to the said upper surface of the element, and then moving said tool into contact with the said plate, whereby the element is forced into the said perforation, the thickness of the plate, the dimension of the element transverse to the plate and the depth of the depression being such that, when the tool contacts with the plate, the element is substantially centered in the plate.

8. The method of making a sign member which comprises procuring a at plateof ductile mate- 15 rial, providing said plate with a plurality of perforations of diiferent sizes so arranged as to form a design, applying to one side of the plate at the perforations of one size light-transmitting elements Which are slightly larger than the respective perforations, applying to said elements a4 tool having therein a depression into which the' elements nt, moving the said tool toward and into contact with the said plate and pushing the elements into their perforations, applying to the same side ofthe plate at perforations of another size other elements Which are slightly'larger than their respective perforations, applying to said other elements another tool having therein a depression into which said other elements t and moving said second tool into contact with said plate and pushing said other elements into their perorations, the thickness of the plate, the dimensions of the elements transverse to the plate and the depth of the depressions in the tools being such that, when the tools contact with the plate, the elements which arey are pushing are substantially centered in the plate and project beyond the sides of the latter substantially equal distances, determined by the depths of the said depressions.

9. The method as set forth in claim 8 to which is added, as a final step, applying a coating of light-transmitting adhesive material to that side of the plate to Which the elements were applied, said coating covering that part of the elements which project beyond said side.

10. The method of making a sign member which comprises procuring a flat plate of ductile material, applying a decorative coating to one side of the plate, said coating having impressed thereon a design which relates to the subject which is to be displayed by said member, permitting said coating to dry and harden, then providing the said plate and coating with a plurality of perforations which are so arranged as to bring out the salient feature or features of the design on the coating, procuring a second flat plate and providing it with perforations which are identical in number and arrangement with the perforations in the first-mentioned plate and which are of substantially the same size as the corresponding perforations in said rst plate, placing the said first plate over the second plate with the perforations in the plates in register and with the said decorative coating in Contact with the second plate, applying light-transmitting elements to the upper side of the first plate at the perforaticns therein, each of said elements being slightly` larger than its respective perforation, applying to one of said elements a tool having a depression into which the element ts, moving the said tool tov/ard and into contact With the said first plate and pushing the element engaged by it into its perforation in the rst plate and repeating the operations of said tool for each element on the first plate whereby all the elements are embedded in their respective perforations, the thickness of the rst plate, the dimension of the elements transverse to the plate and the depth of the depression in the tool being such that, when the tool contacts with the plate, the element which it is pushing is substantially centered in the plate and projects beyond the sides of the latter substantially equal distances, determined by the depth of the said depression.

lil. The method as set forth in claim 10 in which the perforations in both the rst and the second plates are of tWo or more sizes and the elements are of correspondingly diierent sizes, and in which separate tools are employed in embedding the elements of the different sizes, the depressions in the separate tools each being shaped to t over and about the elements which the tools are designed to engage.

l2. The method of making a sign member which comprises procuring a flat plate of ductile material, providing said plate with a plurality of perforations of different sizes so arranged as to form a design, procuring a second plate and providing it with perforations corresponding in number and position to the perforations of one size only in the first plate, said perforations in the second plate being larger than the correspondingly located perforations in the rst plate, placing the second plate over the first plate with the corresponding perforations in register, moving light-transmitting elements smaller than the perforations in the second plate over the latter to cause an element to drop into each of the perforations in the second plate and to lodge upon the first plate over the corresponding perforaticns therein, applying to each of the elements so lodged a tool which is adapted to enter the perforations in the second plate and to engage with the elements therein, moving the tool toward and into contact with the first plate whereby the engaged element is forced into the respective perforation in the rst plate, repeating the application and movement of the tool at each element until all the elements within the perforations of the second plate have been embedded in the iirst plate, removing the said second plate and substituting for it a third plate having perforations therein corresponding in number and arrangement With the perforations of another size in the rst plate, moving light-transmitting elements of another size over the said third plate to cause an element to drop into each of the perforations therein, applying a second tool to the latter elements in succession, said second tool being adapted to enter the perforations in the third plate and to engage with the elements therein, and moving the said second tool toward and into contact with the first plate to embed the elements in the perforations of the latter, said operations with the plates having the perforations into which the elements drop and with the tools being repeated for each size of elements used in making up the sign member.

13. The method as set forth in claim l2 in which a backing plate is employed, said backing plate being perforated identically like the plate in which the elements are nally embedded and being positioned below the l'atter plate With its perfcrations in register with the perforations in said latter plate, as and for the purpose specined.

. ARTHUR U. MAGNAN. 

